I have been in Banda
village since mid May and I was in love from the moment I first saw
it………..Before reaching the village we had to go through Nyungwe National Park
which is unbelievable in it views and biodiversity, 13 species of
primates (including chimps that I now hear in the distant forest), 278 species
of bird, 150 species of butterflies, etc................As we approached
3000 meters in the park we drove up into the clouds and were shrouded in a
mist. After a short while, we drove out of the mist and the landscape
reappeared, we came to a bend in the road and Levi (the Country Director)
pointed to a valley and said, "There is Banda". I could not believe
my eyes, it was the most beautiful landscape I had ever seen, countless shades
of green and textures in the landscaped hillsides. I have since had the most
difficult time trying to capture, simply the lushest, most beautiful valley I
had ever seen. From the main road, we had to travel down a 12km red clay road
that it felt like we were going to get stuck every 2 seconds, it was muddy,
giant ruts. I don't know how we managed to get there, but we did. By this time
it was dark, but we were greeted at the volunteer house, by a host of locals
that work for Kageno. Everyone was so kind and welcoming, we shared a meal and
got to bed fairly early, which tends to be a lot easier to do without
electricity.
My clock has certainly
shifted to working off the rising and setting of the sun. The village just
comes alive as the sun comes up. My first intoduction was that first moring
here in Banda………around 5/5:30 you begin to hear the stirring of people and
animals in the valley, it builds, you hear people communicating with each other
via drums between the hills, more stirring, it builds up to the crecendo of
singing and drumming coming from the 6:30 mass, then kids getting off to
school………such a beautiful way to start the day.
I have spent these
past weeks getting to know the most precious little valley, that for the time
being, I call home. I have been visiting all the Kageno projects taking place
in the community, the health clinic, the new schools and community center that
is under construction, the site for the eco lodge, some of the craft projects
and the english classes, everything is really coming along so beautifully. I
will start teaching english next week (private lessons to start), I will also
be shadowing the current teacher who leaves in a couple weeks, taking over were
he leaves off. After he goes I will be teaching 3-4 classes a day, 5 days a
week. Erin (the other volunteer that is here for a few weeks) got her sports
program together in record time and I have been assisting her with that
everyday. That has been so much fun, playng sports with 500 kids at a clip is
both exhausting and exilirating. I have also begun developing some craft
projects, starting with blank books made out of local meterials, like banana
leaves, I was really happy with how the first stab went, next step, source
sustainable meterials for production.
The people are just
amazing, so kind, welcoming and hard working. I just get this feeling that with
the right resources, they can accomplish anything. I am never alone, I am
constantly surrounded by people just smiling at me, coaxing me along in picking
up Kinyrawanda here and there, not the easiest launguage…….....There is an
wooden gate around the volunteer house and most of the time a little face can
be seen in every crack and open area. I so look forward to this upcoming year,
collaborating with these wonderful
folks and seeing all these exciting projects through to fruition.
Be well, enjoy……..and
I promise to keep you posted!
Vincent Kageno Rwanda Volunteer
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